Adjustable platen roll



Jan. 14, 1958- A. w. METZNER ETAL 2819,782

ADJUSTABLE PLATEN ROLL Fild Sept. 7, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 32 8 INVENTOR.

I 3 ALBERT w. METZNER r-;'-'\\ ANDREW J. KOZUL mmw Jan. 14, 1958 A. w. METZNER ETAL' ,8

ADJUSTABLE PLATEN ROLL Filed Sept. 7', 1954 2 Shets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. ALBERT W. METZN ER BY ANDREW J. KOZUL nmmmw United States Patent 9 P ADJUSTABLE PLATEN ROLL Albert W. Metzner, Dayton, :and Andrew J. Kozul, Troy, Ohio, assignors to The Standard Register Company, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application September 7, 1954, Serial No. 454,294

12 Claims. (Cl. 197133) This invention relates to typewriting and like machines, and particularly to platen assemblies in such machines incorporating pin wheels for the positive feeding of marginally punched stationery.

Typewriters having platen assemblies as above described now are used for billing work, and the number of superposed record copies which must be fed over the platen at one time may vary materially from one series of bills to another and the maximum number of copies may be substantial. Thus, at times the work may involve the making of two or three copies and at other times may involve the making of ten to twenty copies. The type bar in a typewriting machine is positively limited in its stroke. Thus, to obtain a uniform and even impression on the multiple record copies an adjustment in the relative position of the surface of the platen is necessary when the work requirements call for a substantial increase or decrease in the number of record copies. This has in the past been done by a substitution in the machine of platens having diiferent diameters.

The object of the invention is to simplify the construction as well as the means and mode of operation of adjustable platen rolls, whereby such rolls may not only be economically manufactured, but will be more efi'icient and satisfactory in use, adaptable to a wide variety of applications, and be unlikely to get out of repair.

A further object of this invention is to obviate the need for storing and substituting in the machine platens of different diameter, it being proposed rather to make bodily adjustments in the position of the platen whenever such adjustments are necessary to insure a proper stroke of the type bar.

Another object of the invention is to provide for simultaneous adjustment of the pin wheels with the platen and in a manner not interfering with the driving connection to the pin Wheel body nor with radial adjustment of the feeding pins carried thereby.

A further object of the invention is to provide a common actuating means for shifting the platen assembly and for adjusting the feeding pins of the pin wheels to operating and non-operating positions.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a generally new pin wheel body and associated parts adjustable as a unit in a longitudinal sense and embodying self-contained means for moving the pin wheel body in an eccentric sense and for adjusting the circumferential area of projection of the feeding pins.

A further object of the invention is to provide an adjustable platen roll possessing the advantageous structural features, the inherent meritorious characteristics and the mode of operation herein described.

With the above primary and other incidental objects in view as will more fully appear in the specification, the invention intended to be protected by Letters Patent consists of the features of construction, the parts and 2,819,782 PatentedJan. 14, 8

combinations thereof, and the mode of operation, as

tially along the line 4-4 of'Fig. '1;

Fig. 5 is a view in cross section takemsubstantially along the line 55 of Fig; 4;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, the-platen having been moved to accommodate record material of increased thickness and the feeding pin control means having been adjusted to make the feedingpinsnon-operating with respect to the record material;

Fig. 7 is a'view in cross section taken substantially along the line 7-7 of'Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is a detail view in'front elevation of' the pin wheel body and the driving connection therebetween with the platen shaft;

Fig. 9-is a view in cross section taken substantially along the line"9-'9 of FigL-S;

Fig. 10 is a view in cross section taken substantially along the line 1010 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 11 is a detail view in perspective of aspring detent operating in and upon the disclosed platen and feeding pin adjustment mechanisms.

Like parts are indicated by 'similar characters of reference throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings,-a typewriting machineor the like embodying a platen assembly in accordance with the .illustrated'form of the invention, includes'a plurality of type bars 15 (one shown) effecting imprinting by an arcuate stroke toward the surface 'of aplaten 16, the type bars being positively limited in such-stroke by a relatively stationary anvil or stop member 17. The record material, indicated at 18, extends from the rear of the platen downward and beneath the platen and up over the front surface thereof, and a paper pan'19 performs its usual function in guiding and holding the record material in an intimate contacting relation to the surface of the platen. As may be seen in a comparison of Figs. 1 and 3 and Figs. 5 and 6 the thickness of the record-material may vary from one or two sheets, as in Figs. 1 and 5, to a much larger number of sheets, for example twenty, as in Figs. 3 and 6. To compensate for such diiference in thickness, and in the light of the limited stroke'of the type bar 15, the platen 16 is adjusted bodily, as from the position of Fig. 5 to the position of Fig. 6, so that the stroke of the type bar is not shortened and produces a uniform clear impression on the multiple record copies.

Referring to Figs. 4 and 10, the platen 16 is made up of separable sector elements .releasably held togetherin a cylindrical form in a manner which it is unnecessary here to consider. The platen is supportedat one or both ends by a pin wheel body 21 having an annular projection 22 received in a groove in the end of the platen 16. A hub 23 on the body 21 is received in the center opening of the platen. The pin wheel body 21 has radial holes 24 opening through the periphery thereof in which are sliding'ly mounted a plurality of feeding pins 25. "Intermediate their ends the pins 25 have transverse cuts '26 receiving the turned over edge on an eccentrically shaped cam plate 27. The plate 27 is made fast to a larger plate or disc 28 carried in a counterbore 29 of the pin wheel body 21 for relative rotary motion. The disc 28 has an opening 31 therein through which a pin 32 carried by a gear 33 extends, the gear 33 being parallel with and adjacent the disc 28.

A detent device 34 is stationarily mounted to the rear of gear member 33 and has a spring finger 35 engaging the teeth on member 33. The effect is to hold the gear member 33 and thereby the disc 28 and plate 27 against rotation with the pin wheel body 21. Thus, when the pin wheel body rotates, the feeding pins 25 are carried about the turned over edge on cam plate 27 and are moved in a radial sense relatively to the body 21. The construction and arrangement of parts is such that the cam edge on the plate 27 provides an area of projection of the feeding pins relatively to the pin wheel body which may lie within the writing line as defined by the line of contact of the type bar with the platen or may be circumfcrentially spaced from such writing line.

Within the described writing line the record material 18 is held in contact with the platen and with the surface of the body 21, as by hold down fingers 36. When the feeding pins are projected in this area, therefore, they engage marginal perforations in the record material and in effect advance it over the surface of the platen. In a circumferentially spaced area of projection of the feeding pins, however, the record material 18 is not in close intimate contact with the platen and is, therefore, not engaged by the feeding pins and is accordingly not fed by the pins. The disc 28, and cam plate 27 thereon, may be considered as adjustable between alternate positions as described, respectively defining operating and nonoperating positions of adjustment of the pin wheel unit. Such rotary adjustment of the disc 28 is effected through rotary movement of the gear member 33, against the urging of spring detent finger 35 which holds the gear member in a selected rotative position.

The pin wheel body 21, and the gear member 33, are directly mounted on a bushing 37 and indirectly on a transverse platen shaft 38 supported in the typewriting machine for rotary step by step movement in the operation of the machine. The bushing 37 is rotatably and slidably mounted on a sleeve 39 secured to the shaft 38 for unison rotation therewith. A coupling member 41 connects the sleeve 39 to the hub 23 of the pin wheel body for unison rotary and relative longitudinal motions, and connects the sleeve to the bushing 37 for unison longitudinal and relative rotary motions. Thus, the member 41 has a radial slot 42 in which is received one end of a pin 43, the other end of such pin being anchored in the hub 23. Also, the coupling member 41 is formed with a boss 44 extending over a cylindrical end portion 45 on the bushing 37. The boss 44 carries tangs which extend through circumferential openings in the boss into a continuous annular groove 46 in the end portion 45 of the bushing.

The bushing 37 has an opposite cylindrical end portion 47 on which the gear member 33 is mounted and has an intermediate eccentric portion 48 on which the pin wheel body 21 is mounted. Further, the coupling member 41 is connected to the sleeve 39 on the shaft 38 by a key 4? received in a slot 51 of the sleeve. Rotation of the shaft 38 thus is effective through sleeve 39, coupling member 41, pin 43, and hub 23 to rotate the pin wheel body 21 and thereby the platen 16. Such motion is accomplished relatively to the bushing 37 which has another gear member 52 made fast on the cylindrical portion 47 thereof and engaged by another spring finger 53 (Fig. 11) on the detent member 34.

Also mounted on the cylindrical end portion 47 is an anchor plate 54 and a retainer disc 55. The latter, in conjunction with the coupling member v41, holds the pin wheel body assembly, which may be considered to com- 4 prise the body 21, bushing 37 and parts mounted thereon, in an assembled relation, with the assembly being movable as a unit along the sleeve 39. In this connection, the sleeve 39 has a longitudinal series of transverse notches 56 and the coupling member 41 carries a pivoted key 57 which may be raised and lowered out of and into engagement with the notches 56. Thus, when the key 57 is raised the described assembly can be moved longitudinally along the sleeve 39 and when a selected position of longitudinal adjustment has been reached the key 57 may then be released to drop into the nearest notch 56 to thereby lock the assembly in such selected position.

The anchor plate 54 has a bifurcated outer end 58 extending into embracing relation to a transverse machine mounted shaft 59 and more particularly into contacting, embracing relation to a cylindrical member 61 on such shaft. The plate 54 is held against relative longitudinal motion with respect to the member 61 by being held between an outturned flange on one end thereof and a locking ring 62 thereon. Accordingly, and since the plate 54 also is held between the retainer disc 55 and the gear member 52, any above described longitudinal adjustments of the pin wheel body assembly are partaken of by the member 61 on the shaft 59. Also, in this connection, the above mentioned detent device 34 is or may be installed on the anchor plate 54 and is thus always in position properlyto engage the teeth on the gear memers 33 and 52.

The member 61 provides longitudinally spaced apart detent grooves 63 and 64 engageable by a spring finger 65 on a collar 66. The latter is slidably mounted on a sleeve 67 on the shaft 59, also providing a sliding bearing for the member 61. The sleeve 67 extends through and beyond the member 61 and has secured thereto a gear 68. The sleeve 67 and collar 66 are connected to the shaft 59 for unison rotation therewith and relative longitudinal motion by a key pin 69 extending into a longitudinal key way 71 in the shaft. A handle 72 is pinned to the shaft 59 for hand rotation thereof and it will be understood that such rotation is partaken in by the sleeve 67 and the gear mem: ber 68. Also, it will be understood that any longitudinal adjustment of the pin wheel body, as before described, is partaken in by the sleeve 67 and gear member 68 by reason of the connection of these elements to member 61 afforded by the spring finger 65.

Further, the ring 66, sleeve 67 and gear 68 are adjustable in a longitudinal sense relatively to the shaft 59 and to the member 61, and two alternate positions of adjustment are contemplated through the provision of the annular detent grooves 63 and 64. In the position of the parts shown in Fig. 4, the gear member 68 is meshed with the gear member 52. Should the ring 66 be moved forwardly or in a right hand direction as seen in Fig. 4, however, the gear member 68 would be moved out of engagement with the gear member 52 and into meshing engagement with the gear member 33, the arrival of the spring finger 65 in detent groove 64 locating and holding the parts so positioned.

Rotation of the handle 72 when the parts are positioned as shown in Fig. 4 results in a rotary motion of the gear member 52, and, since the member 52 is secured to the bushing 37, in a corresponding rotary motion of the bushing. This motion is accomplished relatively to the pin Wheel body 21 which accordingly is shifted bodily as from the position of Fig. 5 to the position of Fig. 6 by reason of the eccentric bearing provided by bushing portion 48. The bushing 37 will be held so positioned by the spring finger 53 of detent 34 until the handle 72 again is manipulated to place the bushing in a new position of rotation.

In the alternate longitudinal position of adjustment of the gear member 62!, as above described, manipulative rotary motion of the handle 72 is effective upon the gear member 33 and operates to turn the disc 28 with the result, as before seen, of changing the circumferential area of projection of the feeding pins 25. The rendering of the feeding pins effective or ineffective and the transverse bodily adjustments of the pin wheel and platen assembly to compensate for variations in the thickness of the record material, thus are under the control of a single operating means, the handle 72. The handle 72 is, of course, placed for convenient operation by the operator and it will be understood that each tooth spacing of the gear member 52 denotes a specific rearward and forward adjustment of the pin wheel body.

From the above description it will be apparent that there is thus provided a device of the character described possessing the particular features of advantage before enumerated as desirable, but which obviously is susceptible of modification in its form, proportions, detail construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the principle involved or sacrificing any of its advantages.

While in order to comply with the statute the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to structural features, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific features shown, but that the means and construction herein disclosed comprise but one of several modes of putting the invention into effect, and the invention is therefore claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the legitimate and valid scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. In a typewriting or like machine, a platen shaft, a platen in surrounding relation to said shaft, at least one relatively rotatably adjustable eccentric bushing on said shaft providing a bearing for said platen on said shaft, locating means defining a plurality of longitudinal positions of adjustment for said bushing on said shaft, said bushing being selectively positionable therein, and means for locking said bushing in selected positions of adjustment.

2. In a typewriting or like machine, a platen shaft, a platen in surrounding relation to said shaft, a pin wheel body providing a support for one end of said platen, a rotatably adjustable eccentric bushing on said shaft providing a bearing for said pin wheel body, and means connecting said shaft and said platen in a driving driven relationship, said means including pin in slot means maintaining said relationship in any position of rotary adjustment of said bushing.

3. In a typewriting or like machine, a platen shaft, a platen in surrounding relation to said shaft, a pin wheel body in surrounding relation to said shaft providing a support for one end of said platen, radial feeding pins carried by said body, a cam in surrounding relation to said shaft engaged by said pins, means for rotating said cam, and an eccentric rotatably adjustable bushing on said shaft providing a common support for said body, said cam and said means.

4. A typewriting or like machine according to claim 3, characterized by other means on said bushing for rotating said bushing.

5. In a typewriting or like machine, a platen shaft, an eccentric bushing rotatably mounted on said shaft, a pin wheel body rotatably mounted on said bushing, radial feeding pins carried by said body, relatively stationary cam means engaged by said pins, means supported by and rotatable relatively to said bushing for rotating said cam means, other means on said bushing for rotating said bushing, and a common actuator for said means selectively engageable therewith.

6. In a typewriting or like machine, a platen shaft, a bushing relatively rotatable on said shaft presenting a cylindrical end portion and an eccentric portion, a coupling member connected to said shaft for unison rotary and relative axial motions and to said end portion of said bushing for unison axial and relative rotary mo- 6 tions, a pin wheel body rotatably mounted on the eccentric portion of said bushing, and a rotary driving connection between said coupling member and said pin wheel body.

7. A typewriting or like machine according to claim 6, characterized in that said last named connection comprises pin in slot means maintaining said connection in any rotary position of adjustment of said bushing.

8. In a typewriting or like machine, a platen shaft, a bushing relatively rotatable on said shaft presenting cylindrical end portions and an intermediate eccentric portion, a coupling member connected to said shaft for unison rotary and relative longitudinal motions and connected to one end portion of said bushing for unison longitudinal and relative rotary motions, a pin wheel body rotatably mounted on the eccentric portion of said bushing, a rotary driving connection between said coupling member and said body, and means for rotatively adjusting said bushing, said means including a gear member mounted on the other end portion of said bushing forunison rotary motion.

9. A typewriting or like machine according to claim 8, having feeding pins carried by said pin wheel body, characterized by cam control means for said feeding pins including another gear member mounted on said other end portion of said bushing for relative rotary motion and in approximately side by side relation to the first said gear member.

10. A typewriting or like machine according to claim 9, characterized by a common actuator for said gear members selectively engageable therewith.

11. In a typewriting or like machine, a platen shaft, a bushing relatively rotatable on said shaft presenting cylindrical end portions and an intermediate eccentric portion, a coupling member connected to said shaft for unison rotary and relative longitudinal motions and connected to one end portion of said bushing for relative rotary and unison longitudinal motions, a pin wheel body rotatably mounted on the eccentric portion of said bushing, a rotary driving connection between said coupling member and said body, radially reciprocable feeding pins carried by said body, a earn relatively rotatably carried by said body and engaged by said feeding pins, reactant means for said cam including a gear member rotatably mounted on the other end portion of said bushing, another gear member on said other end portion of the bushing and connected thereto for unison rotation, another shaft in parallel relation to said platen shaft, a gear member on said shaft, said member being movable in a longitudinal sense selectively to engage the first said gear members, means for rotating the last said gear member, and a yielding connection between the last said gear member and said bushing for unison longitudinal adjustment, the described assembly of parts being longitudinally movable as a unit relatively to said shaft.

12. In a typewriting or like machine, a platen shaft, a platen surrounding said shaft, a pin wheel body in concentric interconnected relation to said platen and movable therewith, a radial series of feeding pins extensible above the periphery of said pin wheel body in different circumferential areas thereof, means for effecting bodily lateral shifting motion of said platen and body assembly relatively to said shaft, means for varying the circumferential area of extension of said feeding pins, and a common actuator for said shifting means and said varying means selectively engageable therewith.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 522,653 Crandall July 10, 1894 1,582,448 Bridgwater Apr. 27, 1926 2,346,163 Hiles Apr. 11, 1944 

